President Salva Kiir Mayardit speaking during the SPLM meeting closure in Juba [©Gurtong]
By Juma John Stephen
JUBA, 1st April 2012 [Gurtong]
“Am giving these orders to the governors of the five States who are at the front line; Upper Nile, Unity, Warrap, Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Western Bahr El Ghazal states. Sensitize the people in your State mobilize them over the impending invasion by Khartoum forces,” Kiir ordered.
“You must ensure that the Sudanese citizens along with their properties must be protected. This goes to all the ten states, nobody should interfere with their properties.”
The President was speaking while closing a five-day SPLM Second National Liberation Council in Nyakuron Cultural Centre last Friday. His orders come after Sudan 's continued bombardment in South Sudan. Kiir urged all South Sudanese to be calm.
President Kiir said that there are very serious external threats especially from the Republic of Sudan, intended to undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of South Sudan. He said the Khartoum government is expected to continue being aggressive towards the new nation through direct invasion or occupation of some part or by sending in other armed groups.
“This has brought a very negative publicity which is threatening our investment. It was intended by Khartoum that having seen South Sudan parting with oil, they should not be allowed to establish themselves in order to scare foreign investors through these intensive bombardments,” Kiir added.
He reiterated that the SPLM does not intend to take the people of South Sudan back to war, however the government will continue to defend the territorial sovereignty of the new nation. The SPLA forces who repulsed the invaders back to Heglig returned to their original positions.
He stated that the Arab nomadic who cross into the South Sudan’s states with their cattle should not be denied water and pasture, they should be allowed to graze but shouldn’t be allowed in with guns.